The word is defined as "a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people". Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Dictionaries, said Youthquake was a word everyone could rally behind. But most importantly for me, at a time when our language is reflecting our deepening unrest and exhausted nerves, it is a rare political word that sounds a hopeful note." Youthquake best reflected not only the ethos, mood and preoccupations of the past year, but had "lasting potential as a word of cultural significance". The other shortlisted words are antifa, gorpcore, kompromat and unicorn, something dyed with rainbow colours or decorated with glitter.

Source: The Nation Bangkok December 15, 2017 22:07 UTC